Traffic, including a festively decorated Suzuki, is seen backed up on the Shallowford Road I-75 overpass around 5 p.m. on Thursday.HOLIDAY TRAVEL BY THE NUMBERS94.5 million – Travelers who will go more than 50 miles85.8 million – Travelers who will drive3.76 million – Travelers who will be rescued by AAA805 – Average miles traveled74 – percent of travelers who will visit friends or relatives3 – percent of travelers who won’t travel by plane or automobileSource: American Automobile Association
In five days, Keri Todd will open presents with her family on Christmas morning – and then she’ll pack everyone up and drive to Atlanta for breakfast with her 90-something grandfather.
“A very late breakfast,” she admitted. “As long as he is still around, we always go to my granddad’s for Christmas.”
She’s one of 2 million Tennesseans who will roadtrip more than 50 miles from home this holiday season, as the number of nationwide holiday travelers is expected to creep up to 94.5 million this year. That’s the highest volume ever recorded for the year-end holiday, according to the American Automobile Association. But it’s still just 0.6 percent higher than last year’s travel between Dec. 21 and Jan. 1.
The gains are a bit stronger in Tennessee, said Don Lindsey Tennessee public affairs director for AAA.